One-win F1 team are now ‘exactly’ following in McLaren’s footsteps with their latest car upgrade

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McLaren are the dominant force in Formula 1 in 2025, with the other nine teams on the grid looking to catch the Woking outfit.

McLaren are a guarantee for the constructors’ championship as they have nearly double the points of Ferrari after just 11 races. Max Verstappen’s DNF at the Austrian Grand Prix has made the title fight almost nailed on as a shootout between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The Woking squad’s progression in the last 18 months has been incredible, with their rivals looking to do everything possible to slow them down. The FIA’s flexi-wing technical directive in Barcelona did little to close the gap; if anything, it’s made McLaren’s advantage even stronger.

The new rules have affected some teams negatively, with Ferrari going a tenth slower despite blowing half their budget. But it has benefited others, especially Sauber, who have turned a corner in recent races.

Scoring just four points all season in 2024, the Hinwil-based outfit have seen a dramatic improvement in development. Their upgrades to the floor, engine cover and front wing in Barcelona allowed Nico Hulkenberg to finish an incredible P5 ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

Sauber are now ‘exactly’ following in McLaren’s footsteps as they’ve ‘found the way’ to go with their car

The German has scored points in the last three races, while Gabriel Bortoleto scored his first F1 points in Austria. The rookie finished an impressive P8 after reaching Q3 for the first time.

Under the guidance of ex-Red Bull chief Jonathan Wheatley, the team have made huge strides forward in 2025. Sauber have been poaching Red Bull staff, which has seen a dramatic improvement in pit stops.

Their strong recruit behind the scenes is ‘exactly’ the path McLaren took as they propelled up the grid, says journalist Julianne Cerasoli. She notes via F1 Nation that Sauber have ‘found the way’ to go with their car after years of underperformance.

“Jonathan was saying that he’s annoyed now about the change of regulations. He just wants to keep going because now they’ve found a way with the car,” she said.

“What they did with the upgrades is that at the end of last year, they found the way of where to go, remember when Zhou scored the only points of the season at the end of the year.

“And then they did just one more step with the Barcelona upgrade. That’s exactly what happened with McLaren; once you find the way, then it’s easier to make gains.

“Formula 1 is all about people, and it’s not only at the top. They are hiring from Red Bull, from Aston Martin, from a lot of teams. From mechanics, across the whole team, it’s people who are used to different ways of working with better organisations, and that pays off.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Sauber from team principal to 2026 Audi future

Are the 2026 F1 regulations bad news for Sauber?

Next year is a huge transitional year for Sauber, as they will become Audi in 2026. The German manufacturer, who will bring their own power unit next season, are already ramping up preparations.

Sauber are going ‘full throttle’ for 2026, according to Hulkenberg, as they try to get a head start on the new regulations. Sauber are using their wind tunnel exclusively for 2026, copying Ferrari’s approach.

Wheatley’s newfound annoyance with the regulations comes after Sauber’s impressive upturn in form in 2025. With the unknowns surrounding the engines for next year, there is every chance that their hard work could be undone come 2026.

Mattia Binotto has already given a damning verdict on the team’s prospects, claiming Audi ‘won’t have the best’ engine in 2026. Therefore, it is no surprise that Sauber, who have won just one Grand Prix in their history, are getting started on development for next year as they hope to find success in F1.